FACT AND FICTION IN THE CLASSROOM 1

Fact and Fiction in the Classroom: Hyperboles in Motion Emily Maeder ED 815: Fact or Fiction Dr. Mary Monsour Seton Hill Univeristy

FACT AND FICTION IN THE CLASSROOM 2 Fact and Fiction in the Classroom: Hyperboles in Motion The stereotypes of the middle school experience are a mix of both fact and fiction. Throughout this course, we have examined multiple representations of the middle school student, the middle school teacher, and the school environment through movies, novels, research articles, and, finally, through observation. This range of research gives us a wide scope through which to examine the stereotypes we have grown up with and learned to accept as truth. These stereotypes are ingrained by experience and solidified by the biases of experience. Our beliefs about middle school teachers, administrators, school buildings, and parents often form when we are middle schoolers, and our opinion of middle schoolers when we reach adulthood. The stereotypes of the middle school student are hyperbolic representations of the reality, while the perception of parents, teachers, administrators, and environment are highly to the contrary. Let us begin by laying out the stereotypes of middle school. The middle school student is a drama llama in nature, as is the technical term. They talk too much and think too little. Their world is cutthroat and does not include parents and teachers. In fact, they do not care about parents and teachers at all. Middle school students are often mean for the sake of being mean. They need to be unique and they need to fit in and if they cannot do both then the world would be better off coming to an end. They rush into sexuality too quickly, judge too harshly, and have no idea what is best for them. The middle school parent is quick to write off the emotions and struggles of the middle school student as a phase. Middle school teachers put their feet on the desk and have no intention of relating to their

FACT AND FICTION IN THE CLASSROOM 3 students. Some are nave and easily fooled, while others teach with malicious intent. The latter take pleasure in giving heavy workloads, arbitrary punishments, and belittling students. Administrators live in a far off land and only come down to earth when a student needs to be punished or a speech needs to be given. The middle school itself is a cold, uninviting building. Its bare walls resemble those of mental institutions and prisons. In retrospect, these three types of buildings are really the same. As far as curriculum goes, you will not learn anything new from elementary school but you will work much harder. No one at all knows what these kids are going through, and frankly, no one really cares. These stereotypes have been seen across the media and exhibited on all levels of experience. One needs only to tune in to a television show where a middle school student is the protagonist to discover many of these ideas. In examination of visual media depictions of middle school perspectives, I chose to examine the film Finding Forrester (2000). It is set in fairly modern times (though fourteen years ago) and examines the relationship between a student from the Bronx and his mentor, a reclusive writer played by Sean Connery. The student, Jamal, moves from a public school to a private school because of an available scholarship for his exceedingly high test scores. It is clear Jamal is a bright young adolescent with a passion for writing, but his development and adolescence are more important. Jamal does not talk about his interest in writing to his friends and, at one point, requests that his older brother keep his high test scores a secret. It is clear that fitting in is a major theme early in Jamals life. One teacher from his public school told Jamals mother that basketball is how he relates to his peers

FACT AND FICTION IN THE CLASSROOM 4 (2000). He often chooses basketball and socializing with friends over school concerns before he attends the private school in order to maintain a well-liked persona with his peers. In Finding Forrester we see a contrast between the education setting of a private school and that of the public school. The only public school teacher that we see of Jamals is the one who recommends that he accept the offer for the private school in support of his education. She clearly demonstrates belief that a private education will give Jamal more opportunities than the public school. And in truth, the private school does cause Jamal to focus on his studies and classwork. The atmosphere of the private school was very unforgiving. The teachers were depicted as pompous and, according to one student, just like to hear themselves talk (2000). The environment is very passive and teaching is primarily lecture based. When one teacher, Professor Crawford, does call on a student, it is only to prove that the student does not know something. The only real learning that happens is outside the classroom, when Jamal hones his writing skills with the famous author William Forrester. Finding Forrester does present a perspective that parallels many of the stereotypes mentioned earlier. The cold, occasionally malicious teacher is presented in the cold classroom atmosphere. The student has a need to fit in with his peers, and then later a need to create a unique identity for himself through his writing. The parent does want the best for her son, but is in the dark in regards to his relationship with his author mentor. Another fairly contemporary depiction of young adolescents can be found in John Greenes novel, The Fault in Our Stars (2012). The story is narrated by a

FACT AND FICTION IN THE CLASSROOM 5 sixteen year old girl, Hazel Grace, who meets and falls in love with a boy in her cancer support group. It is seen through the eyes of a young woman, and though she faces the extraordinary situation of being faced with a death sentence of stage four thyroid cancer, the conflict of the novel focuses on her friendships and relationships. Hazel often moves back and forth between appreciation of all her parents have done for her (as in, giving up their lives to care for her and pay for her treatment) and a rebellion that fits the stereotype of a rebellious teenager. She is often moody, and favors watching reality TV, sleeping, and reading her favorite book over and over to attending her regular therapy and community college. The boy Hazel meets in the support group, Augustus, falls in love with her almost instantly, which seems typical of the stereotypes and understanding of the young adolescents rash decision making and awkwardness in romantic and sexual relationships. Together the young teens learn that the world is not a wish-granting factory and the existence of broccoli does not, in any way, affect the taste of chocolate. (2012) They contemplate life and their own deaths and the mark that they will leave on the world. Though none of the novel takes place in a classroom setting, the novel portrays young adolescents working their way through relationships, social groups, spiritual and moral development, and sexuality. In the media we also find documentaries depicting the middle school teacher in light in direct contrast to the stereotypes. In the film TEACH, directed by Davis Guggenheim, one witnesses the struggles of four contemporary teachers in the education system (2013). They all use their passion, innovation, and perseverance to enrich the lives of their students despite a lack of resources and

FACT AND FICTION IN THE CLASSROOM 6 funding. Many of the students enter Matt, Lindsey, Joel, and Shelbys classrooms years behind their grade level, to which each teacher responds with individualized and differentiated instruction. When one method doesnt work, they keep trying. If no method works, they keep trying. With maximum, effort these teachers were able to make minimal progress, and sometimes when they would take a step forward they would soon have to take two steps back. The documentary shows teachers that truly care for their students learning. One teacher, Joel, says of his students, they have one fail. I have 40 fails. (2013). If the students are failing the tests, then he is failing as a teacher. This depiction of teachers directly contradicts the stereotypes depicted earlier, and even the fictional teachers we saw in Finding Forrester. These real teachers are dedicated to their students and only want to see them succeed. These teachers are out there. In my research on the development and needs of middle school-age preadolescents, I have found that the depiction of this age group is very similar to the professional understanding. In the research summary: Young Adolescents Developmental Characteristics, Caskey and Anafra remark that this period in ones life is marked by mood swings from drastic hormonal changes, an increased possibility of at-risk behaviors, and a need for individuality and uniqueness. (2007). Both the fiction and the documentary depict this behavior with varying levels of complexity. Furthermore, Caskey and Anafra address the young adolescents increased capacity for abstract thought. Their research states that young adolescents tend to be idealistic and possess a strong sense of fairness in human relationships, which directly relates to the perspective of Augustus in The

FACT AND FICTION IN THE CLASSROOM 7 Fault in Our Stars. Augustus feels a strong desire to leave his mark on this world, and to die saving another person. He needs to feel like his life meant something to the people left behind, which gives him a sense of fairness in dying. (The Fault in Our Stars 2012) The need for Augustus to be remembered and loved and admired by those left behind when he dies is reminiscent of the egocentricity of the young adolescent, and the novel takes us through the development of his and Hazels moral/ethical development. In my personal observation of a middle school classroom, I found students that fit many of the stereotypes, but in more subtle ways. I did not pick up on direct conversation about it, but I saw approximately ninety percent of girls between fifth and eighth grade wearing some form of Ugg boots. Some of them wore colorful socks poking out the tops of their boots, and some went for radical styles with sequins and elaborate threading in the boots themselves. It is necessary to point out the living metaphor of the desire for uniqueness coupled with the need to fit in within this footwear. In a private school where uniforms blanket one of the greatest personal creative outlets for young adolescents (clothing), these students use the little things to create their identity. The teachers at this school were closer to the TEACH teacher representatives from the documentary than the pompous selfabsorbed teachers of Finding Forrester. The teacher I interviewed, a seventh grade teacher, seized the opportunity for small class sizes to create an individualized education program with personal relationships with each student. She takes her students on as many field trips and to as many events in the community as possible, and strives to create a challenging experience where students can experience

FACT AND FICTION IN THE CLASSROOM 8 themselves as a member of society. (Interview with a Middle School TeacherOrlowski 2014) The professional belief on the necessities of education geared towards the middle school age group is in direct opposition to the stereotypical teacher as we have learned from fiction. It is with a desire to see students succeed in the transition from elementary school to high school that teachers, administrators, and parents call for educational experiences and schools that are organized to address [young adolescents] unique physical, intellectual, emotional/psychological, moral/ethical, and social developmental characteristics and needs. (Research Summary 2007) Understanding the research behind young adolescents developmental characteristics may give parents, teachers, and administrators insight into the challenges these students face and prepare them for the shift in their ability and behavior. The fact is, that the fiction of middle school students, teachers, administrators, and parents contains some reality, but it is often mixed with hyperbole and portrays conflicts that work better in drama storytelling than an actual classroom.

FACT AND FICTION IN THE CLASSROOM 9 References Caskey, M., & Anfara, V. A., Jr. (2007, April). Research Summary: Young Adolescents' Developmental Characteristics. AMLE. Retrieved January 4, 2014, from http://www.amle.org/BrowsebyTopic/WhatsNew/WNDet.aspx?ArtMID=88 8&ArticleID=300 Green, J. (2013). The fault in our stars. London: Puffin. Guggenheim, D. (Director). (2013). TEACH [Video]. United States: Participant Media. Retrieved December 29, 2013. Interview with a Middle School Teacher [Personal interview]. (2014, January 9). Sant, G. V. (Director). (2000). Finding Forrester [Motion picture on DVD]. United States: Columbia Pictures.